Hundreds attended Newark Duck Race held at Riverside Park, Newark

Over a thousand ducks in all shapes and sizes, from chefs to ballerinas, flocked to the Trent in aid of two of the town’s charities.

The annual Newark Duck Race, which took place on Sunday (June 22), saw hundreds of people come together to see colourful and creatively decorated ducks while raising funds for the Children’s Bereavement Centre.

The event, organised by both the Children’s Bereavement Centre and Newark and District Round Table, was held at Riverside Park in Newark.

It saw plenty of entertainment for all ages, including duck-themed games, face painting, a bouncy castle, children’s activities and stalls selling hot drinks and ice cream.

Katie Gibson, the marketing and fundraising executive at Children’s Bereavement Centre, said: “Everyone seemed really excited and there was a clear anticipation in the air for the duck race.

“It was lovely to see so many families and for us a charity it is very important to put on these events, not only for fundraising which helps us maintain our services but also as a children’s charity we are happy to put on free community events for families to come out on a Sunday and not have to spend money.”

On the day, over 1,000 ducks were sponsored, with each duck being sold for £2, and 32 large ducks also made their way to the water in their fancy dress.

The large ducks, which were sponsored and decorated by businesses, were sold for £80, but if a business's large duck took part in the 2024 event, the same duck could be resubmitted for £40.

“The ducks are a great way of advertising businesses in such a creative way, and the ducks this year were absolutely amazing,” added Katie.

The fastest duck in the race was Charlotte Hudson School of Dance, which had a tutu and a bun, representing the school's ballerinas.

Radio Newark also supported the event with live broadcasting from the park and provided live music and information throughout the event, making sure to keep the spirits up during the race.

“The Duck Race was a real team effort and huge collaboration so I want to say a huge thank you to all the volunteers that came down and helped us,” Katie added.

“We had incredible support from the town.”

There were 30 volunteers on the day, including seven from East Midlands Ambulance and 20 river marshals who helped bring the event to life.